Chrysanthemum plant

ABSTRACT

A chrysanthemum plant known by the cultivar name Moonwind and particularly characterized as to uniqueness by the combined characteristics of flat capitulum form; spooned daisy capitulum type; white ray floret color, devoid of pink discoloration; diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 65 to 75 mm. at maturity; uniform eight week photoperiodic flowering response to short days; medium plant height when grown as a pinched spray pot; semi-spreading branching pattern, and minimum pollen production.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., hereinafter referred to by thecultivar name Moonwind.

Moonwind is a product of a planned breeding program which had theobjective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with spooned daisycapitulum type, white ray floret color, seven or eight week floweringresponse, and with the ability to produce commerically acceptablequality in year round pot mum programs. Such traits in combination werenot present in previously available commercial cultivars.

Moonwind was originated from a cross made in a controlled breedingprogram in Barberton, Ohio in 1975. The female parent was Frost, a whitespooned daisy disclosed in our U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,129, granted Oct.18, 1977. The male parent was Jamboree, a bronze spooned daisy disclosedin our U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,156, granted Nov. 22, 1977. Both Frost andJamboree are products of the breeding program of the present inventors.

Moonwind was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within theprogeny of the stated cross by Walter H. Jessel, Jr. and William E.Duffett on Nov. 19, 1976 in a controlled environment in Barberton, Ohio.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Moonwind was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in February,1977 in a controlled environment in Barberton, Ohio by a technicianworking under formulations established and supervised by Walter H.Jessel, Jr. and William E. Duffett. Continued asexual reproduction byvegetative cuttings for evaluative tests in flowering and stock programsin conjunction with horticultural examination of selected unitsinitiated Nov. 7, 1977 has demonstrated that the combination ofcharacteristics as herein disclosed for Moonwind are firmly fixed andare retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Moonwind has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and daylength. Thefollowing observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Barberton, Ohio and Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditionswhich approximate those generally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Moonwind which in combination distinguishthis chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

(1) Flat capitulum form.

(2) Spooned daisy capitulum type.

(3) White ray floret color, devoid of pink discoloration.

(4) Yellow-green (immature) to yellow (mature) disc floret color.

(5) Diameter across face of capitulum ranging from 65 to 75 mm. atmaturity.

(6) Uniform eight week photoperiodic flowering response to short days.

(7) Medium plant height (requiring 1-2 long day weeks prior to pinch andshort days, and two applications of 2500 ppm B-9 SP, 14 to 21 days afterthe beginning of short days to attain a flowered plant height of 30 to45 cm.).

(8) Semi-spreading branching pattern.

(9) Minimum pollen production.

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical inflorescense andfoliage characteristics of Moonwind, with colors being as nearly true aspossible with illustrations of this type.

Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventors, themost similar existing cultivar in comparison to Moonwind is the cultivarIllini Spinwheel, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 3,379. Reference is made toattached Chart A which compares certain characteristics of Moonwind tothose same characteristics of Illini Spinwheel. Comparisons to theparental cultivar, Frost, are also included. General comparisons are asfollows:

(1) In comparison to Illini Spinwheel, Moonwind has less tendency todiscolor its ray florets with pink tinging under cool (less than 60° F.)finishing temperatures and with maturity; produces less pollen; haslarger capitulum size, taller plant height, and shorter floweringresponse period. The ray floret color at finishing temperature of 60° F.and warmer; capitulum form; capitulum type, and branching pattern ofMoonwind are similar to those of Illini Spinwheel.

(2) In comparison to Frost, Moonwind has smaller diameter across face ofcapitulum, greater responsiveness to B-9 SP for height control, morespreading branching pattern and shorter flowering response period. Theray floret color, capitulum form, capitulum type, pollen production, andplant height of Moonwind are similar to those of Frost.

In the following description, color references are made to A Limit ColorCadcade, by the Munsell Company, 1972 edition. The color values weredetermined between 10:00 and 10:30 A.M. on Aug. 11, 1978 under 100foot-candle light intensity at Salinas, Calif.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION: Chrysanthemum morifolium, Ramat., cv Moonwind.I. INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Spooned daisy.

Diameter across face.--65 to 75 mm.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (abaxial).--White.

Color (adaxial).--White.

C. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present disc florets only; scant to numerous; scant pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present both ray and disc florets.

D. Corolla of disc florets:

Color.--20-10 (immature) to 26-4 (mature).

II. PLANT

A. General appearance: Semi-spreading branching pattern; medium height.

B. Foliage:

Color (abaxial).--Approximately 21-14 to 22-14.

Color (adaxial).--Approximately 21-13 overlaid with white.

                                      CHART A                                     __________________________________________________________________________    COMPARISON OF MOONWIND, ILLINI SPINWHEEL AND FROST.                                                                 DIAMETER                                                POLLEN        CAPITULUM                                                                             ACROSS FACE     FLOWERING                       RAY FLORET                                                                            PRO-  BRANCHING                                                                             TYPE AND                                                                              OF       PLANT  RESPONSE                CULTIVAR                                                                              COLOR   DUCTION                                                                             PATTERN FORM    CAPITULUM                                                                              HEIGHT PERIOD                  __________________________________________________________________________    MOONWIND                                                                              White   Sparse                                                                              Semi-   Flat spooned                                                                          65 to 75 mm.                                                                           Medium, re-                                                                          8 week                                        spreading                                                                             daisy            sponsive to                                                                   B-9 SP for                                                                    height                                                                        control.                       ILLINI  White,  Abundant                                                                            Semi-                                                   SPINWHEEL                                                                             tinging pink  spreading                                                                             Flat spooned                                                                          45 to 60 mm.                                                                           Short, re-                                                                           8 week                          with cool tem-        daisy            sponsive to                            peratures and                          B-9 SP for                             age.                                   height control                 FROST   White   Sparse                                                                              Semi-                                                                         spreading                                                                             Flat spooned                                                                          80 to 95 mm.                                                                           Medium, not                                                                          8 week                                                daisy            responsive to                                                                 B-9 SP for                                                                    height control                 __________________________________________________________________________     COMPARISONS MADE OF PLANTS GROWN AS PINCHED SPRAY POTS IN BARBERTON,          OHIO,AND IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA.                                         

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum morifolium,Ramat., plant known by the cultivar name Moonwind and particularlycharacterized as to uniqueness by the combined characteristics of flatcapitulum form; spooned daisy capitulum type; white ray floret color,devoid of pink discoloration; diameter across face of capitulum rangingfrom 65 to 75 mm. at maturity; uniform eight week photoperiodicflowering response to short days; medium plant height when grown as apinched spray pot; semi-spreading branching pattern; and minimum pollenproduction.